The studies on the role of RNA polymerases in insect metamorphosis will be continued. It is proposed to purify and characterize RNA polymerase II from larval and pharate adult fat body and compare their physicochemical properties. Studies on in vitro and in vivo RNA synthesis in the fat body and characterization of RNA products will be carried out in order to correlate the kinds of RNA synthesized to the kinds and amounts of RNA polymerase present. BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCE: Alterations in DNA-dependent RNA polymerase activity during development of the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta. Sridhara, S. and Gilbert, L. I. Develop. Biol. 45: 7-20, 1975.